‘Poor planning causes airline collapse’

The Managing Director, Discovery Airlines, Captain Mohammed Abdulsalam, has identified poor planning in the management of operational costs and schedule of aircraft maintenance as one of the reasons many domestic carriers collapse.

He said many airlines failed in the past because their managers did not draw robust plans to ensure all operating aircraft are not due for maintenance about the same time.

Such poor planning in the schedule of aircraft maintenance, he said, puts pressure on the operator in an environment where funds are not easy to come by.

He said the new carrier would learn from the lessons of the previous carriers in ensuring that it runs a profitable model in an industry where capacity still remains a critical issue.

He said competitive fares were not enough incentives to attract passengers but excellent pre-flight and other customer-centric services. Abdulsalam argued that if any airline was able to structure its insurance policy, acquire aircraft under convenient terms, and structure its aircraft maintenance, such a carrier would survive the harsh economic environment.

He said the major aim of the airline was to enhance passengers’ experience without compromising safety as it planned to begin flight operations this week.

He said: “We are not coming into the system just like any other airline; we want to make a difference in the industry. Over the years, I want to categorically say that passengers have not been enjoying value for money, but with our entry into the sub-sector, passengers would experience a difference.

“We want to raise the bar in the industry and make our services be competitive with what we have abroad. Without the passengers, there can never be the airlines.”

Abdulsalam noted that unlike Europe and America where there are finance companies willing to lease aeroplanes to operators, Nigeria is seen as a high-risk country and operators are, therefore, forced to pay upfront, making them to grapple with limited resources.